2 SC men head to Harvard with scholarships

Published: Monday, July 29, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 11:24 p.m.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Chavis Jones and Justin Fox joke about going from Carver Middle School this summer to Harvard University in the fall.

That’s because both attended Carver Junior High School in Spartanburg as students years ago and are now working as staff members at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate at the same school, now known as Carver Middle. They both also have received scholarships to attend the Ivy League university in Cambridge, Mass.

They call it going from “Carver to Cambridge.” Not many students in the local African-American community get the chance to celebrate achieving such a high level academically, and Jones and Fox don’t take it for granted. Once they complete their educations, both say they want to give back to the community. They’re interested in public service and say they hope they can make a difference in other people’s lives.

“What we have been able to accomplish so far inevitably warrants a certain level of responsibility on us to give back,” Jones said. “I hope to be able to encourage children to keep dreaming, because if they cease to dream, no one has to close their doors of opportunity. They will close them for themselves.”

Jones, 22, is a graduate of Spartanburg High School and a 2013 graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta. He received Harvard Divinity School’s highest scholarship, the Harvard Ministry Fellowship. The honor includes full tuition paid and a $10,000 stipend. His plans are to pursue a master’s degree in divinity, but he also is considering a joint degree in law and divinity.

“I have always known that I wanted to become a pastor someday,” he said. “I have become increasingly intrigued by theology as an academic discipline, and enjoy strengthening my understanding of God and the intersection of different faiths, including my own, Christianity.”

Jones said it will take three years to graduate with a master’s in divinity, and an additional year to achieve a joint degree in law and divinity. He became interested in pursuing a law degree after working as an intern with Spartanburg County Councilman Michael Brown, who is also an attorney.

“He (Brown) does a lot of unsung work in the community,” Jones said. “Watching him shows me the positive side to a career as an attorney.”

Jones said Brown and his parents, Faith Robbs, Charles Jones, John Robbs Sr. and Megan Jones are his role models. He values the time he spent working with Brown, saying it was a good experience.

“Chavis is an exceptional young man,” Brown said. “He is very well read and well spoken. He is definitely a leader. When he interacted with his peers at Morehouse, the students would come to him to get advice on life. He is so well grounded and a serious young man. He is awesome, and we are blessed that he is here and a part of Spartanburg. I look forward to seeing him come back and do great things in Spartanburg.”

‘Life, not just football’

Fox, 18, is a 2013 graduate of Spartanburg High School. He received an academic scholarship to attend Harvard and will play football for the university this fall. Fox also received an appointment to West Point Academy, but selected Harvard. He hasn’t decided on a major, but said he’s interested in national service.

“Harvard is the first school I had heard of,” Fox said. “When you excel in school, people start encouraging you and telling you things like you might become president of the United States, or you can go to Harvard. I heard the encouragement and believed it.”

When he was in eighth grade, he said his football coach took his report card and showed his good grades around to the students and other coaches. By the time he was in 10th grade, Harvard football coaches started calling him to see whether he was interested in attending their football camp.

He didn’t have the money to go, so his high school head football coach, Freddie Brown, helped to pay for the camp. But the money wasn’t just given to him; Fox had to work for it. He went to his coach’s house throughout the spring and summer to rake leaves, mow the lawn, wash his truck and clean out the garage.

“He didn’t give me a handout,” Fox said of Freddie Brown. “I had to earn it. I appreciate him even more because of that. Coach Brown cared about his players, so he prepared us for life, not just football.”

Freddie Brown remembers that summer when Fox worked to get the money to go to football camp. He said he wanted Fox to learn from the experience.

“I would go back and show him where he didn’t mow the lawn well because I wanted him to pay attention to detail,” Freddie Brown said. “I think that experience will stay with him. I am so proud of Justin (Fox) because he is one of the brightest children I have ever been around. He can sing like a songbird, play football and is very bright. He is very well rounded.”

Fox’s mother, Karen Fox, is another one of his role models. He said his family is very supportive of him.

Fox and Jones also credit their success to the education they received in Spartanburg District 7 schools and the time they spent participating with the Boys & Girls Clubs as children. They consider Rick Ferguson, unit director for the Carver Boys & Girls Clubs, and Greg Tolbert, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate (S.C.), as mentors.

“Both of them are exceptional young men,” Ferguson said. “Most kids need that mentor, coach or teacher to see something positive in them, and it is amazing how that flower opens up and begins to blossom. I hope we are able to bring them back, so they can talk to our kids and motivate them to let them know you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.”

Fox and Jones are excited about their futures and say it’s important to give back to the community.

“The well does not refill itself,” Fox said. “We drank from the well of opportunity thirstily, and it was freely given with hopes that we would, one day, replenish it so those coming behind us may drink of the same blessings we received. That has been my motto. I don’t plan on wasting any water.”

When both students arrive on the campus of Harvard this fall, they plan to keep Spartanburg close to their hearts.

“We will be back,” Jones said. “This isn’t the last Spartanburg will hear of Justin Fox and Chavis Jones.”

<p>SPARTANBURG, S.C.  Chavis Jones and Justin Fox joke about going from Carver Middle School this summer to Harvard University in the fall.</p><p>That’s because both attended Carver Junior High School in Spartanburg as students years ago and are now working as staff members at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate at the same school, now known as Carver Middle. They both also have received scholarships to attend the Ivy League university in Cambridge, Mass.</p><p>They call it going from Carver to Cambridge. Not many students in the local African-American community get the chance to celebrate achieving such a high level academically, and Jones and Fox don’t take it for granted. Once they complete their educations, both say they want to give back to the community. They’re interested in public service and say they hope they can make a difference in other people’s lives.</p><p>What we have been able to accomplish so far inevitably warrants a certain level of responsibility on us to give back, Jones said. I hope to be able to encourage children to keep dreaming, because if they cease to dream, no one has to close their doors of opportunity. They will close them for themselves.</p><p>Jones, 22, is a graduate of Spartanburg High School and a 2013 graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta. He received Harvard Divinity School’s highest scholarship, the Harvard Ministry Fellowship. The honor includes full tuition paid and a $10,000 stipend. His plans are to pursue a master’s degree in divinity, but he also is considering a joint degree in law and divinity.</p><p>I have always known that I wanted to become a pastor someday, he said. I have become increasingly intrigued by theology as an academic discipline, and enjoy strengthening my understanding of God and the intersection of different faiths, including my own, Christianity.</p><p>Jones said it will take three years to graduate with a master’s in divinity, and an additional year to achieve a joint degree in law and divinity. He became interested in pursuing a law degree after working as an intern with Spartanburg County Councilman Michael Brown, who is also an attorney.</p><p>He (Brown) does a lot of unsung work in the community, Jones said. Watching him shows me the positive side to a career as an attorney.</p><p>Jones said Brown and his parents, Faith Robbs, Charles Jones, John Robbs Sr. and Megan Jones are his role models. He values the time he spent working with Brown, saying it was a good experience.</p><p>Chavis is an exceptional young man, Brown said. He is very well read and well spoken. He is definitely a leader. When he interacted with his peers at Morehouse, the students would come to him to get advice on life. He is so well grounded and a serious young man. He is awesome, and we are blessed that he is here and a part of Spartanburg. I look forward to seeing him come back and do great things in Spartanburg.</p><h3>Life, not just football’</h3>
<p>Fox, 18, is a 2013 graduate of Spartanburg High School. He received an academic scholarship to attend Harvard and will play football for the university this fall. Fox also received an appointment to West Point Academy, but selected Harvard. He hasn’t decided on a major, but said he’s interested in national service.</p><p>Harvard is the first school I had heard of, Fox said. When you excel in school, people start encouraging you and telling you things like you might become president of the United States, or you can go to Harvard. I heard the encouragement and believed it.</p><p>When he was in eighth grade, he said his football coach took his report card and showed his good grades around to the students and other coaches. By the time he was in 10th grade, Harvard football coaches started calling him to see whether he was interested in attending their football camp.</p><p>He didn’t have the money to go, so his high school head football coach, Freddie Brown, helped to pay for the camp. But the money wasn’t just given to him; Fox had to work for it. He went to his coach’s house throughout the spring and summer to rake leaves, mow the lawn, wash his truck and clean out the garage.</p><p>He didn’t give me a handout, Fox said of Freddie Brown. I had to earn it. I appreciate him even more because of that. Coach Brown cared about his players, so he prepared us for life, not just football.</p><p>Freddie Brown remembers that summer when Fox worked to get the money to go to football camp. He said he wanted Fox to learn from the experience.</p><p>I would go back and show him where he didn’t mow the lawn well because I wanted him to pay attention to detail, Freddie Brown said. I think that experience will stay with him. I am so proud of Justin (Fox) because he is one of the brightest children I have ever been around. He can sing like a songbird, play football and is very bright. He is very well rounded.</p><p>Fox’s mother, Karen Fox, is another one of his role models. He said his family is very supportive of him.</p><p>Fox and Jones also credit their success to the education they received in Spartanburg District 7 schools and the time they spent participating with the Boys & Girls Clubs as children. They consider Rick Ferguson, unit director for the Carver Boys & Girls Clubs, and Greg Tolbert, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate (S.C.), as mentors.</p><p>Both of them are exceptional young men, Ferguson said. Most kids need that mentor, coach or teacher to see something positive in them, and it is amazing how that flower opens up and begins to blossom. I hope we are able to bring them back, so they can talk to our kids and motivate them to let them know you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.</p><p>Fox and Jones are excited about their futures and say it’s important to give back to the community.</p><p>The well does not refill itself, Fox said. We drank from the well of opportunity thirstily, and it was freely given with hopes that we would, one day, replenish it so those coming behind us may drink of the same blessings we received. That has been my motto. I don’t plan on wasting any water.</p><p>When both students arrive on the campus of Harvard this fall, they plan to keep Spartanburg close to their hearts.</p><p>We will be back, Jones said. This isn’t the last Spartanburg will hear of Justin Fox and Chavis Jones.</p>